Fermented Stevia extract as cure for pancreatic cancer possible, Japanese scientists make a breakthrough using sugar substitute

Researchers at Hiroshima University in Japan have unveiled groundbreaking laboratory findings indicating that fermented stevia leaf extract possesses potent anti-cancer properties specifically targeting pancreatic cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. This discovery offers new hope against pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers with a notoriously low five-year survival rate of less than 10%.

Stevia leaves come from the Stevia rebaudiana plant and have been used for centuries as a natural sweetener. The leaves contain compounds called steviol glycosides, which are intensely sweet—many times sweeter than sugar—but have zero calories. Because of this, stevia leaf extract is widely used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages to provide sweetness without adding calories or affecting blood sugar levels.

The study, recently published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, highlights that when stevia leaf extract is fermented using a natural, plant-based good bacterium called Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T, the extract becomes much more powerful in its effects. During this fermentation process, the bacteria change some of the original chemicals found in stevia into new active compounds.


One of these newly formed compounds is called chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME). In lab experiments, this compound was found to be especially effective at killing a type of pancreatic cancer cell called PANC-1, without harming other cells. This means fermenting stevia could potentially help develop better treatments against certain cancers.

This microbial transformation results in a sixfold decrease of chlorogenic acid itself while yielding this more potent anticancer agent.

Key experimental findings include:

• The fermented stevia leaf extract was much better at killing pancreatic cancer cells compared to the regular (non-fermented) extract, even when used in the same amount.
  
• It didn’t harm healthy kidney cells much, which means it might be safer to use.
  
• The key substance made during fermentation, called CAME, helps cancer cells to self-destruct (this is called programmed cell death). It also stops cancer cells from growing and multiplying by affecting how their internal processes and genes work.
  
• CAME turns on certain genes that encourage cancer cells to die and turns off genes that help cancer cells survive.
  
• The extract also prevented cancer cells from moving around and forming new groups, which is important because that’s how cancer spreads to other parts of the body.
  

Pancreatic cancer’s resistance to conventional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches. According to Narandalai Danshiitsoodol, associate professor and co-author, the fermented stevia compounds could potentially offer a new avenue for treating this disease because of their targeted effects and low toxicity.

Medical experts caution that while laboratory results are extremely promising, these effects have yet to be confirmed in animal models or human clinical trials. Dr. Paul E. Oberstein, medical oncologist at NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, emphasized that fermentation enhances the plant extract’s potency but urged cautious optimism pending further research.

This discovery aligns with a growing scientific interest in utilizing microbial biotransformation and natural plant extracts as adjunct treatments in oncology. Fermentation not only enhances the antioxidant properties of stevia but also unlocks rare metabolites with potent biological activities.

While more development and comprehensive testing are required, fermented stevia extract stands out as a promising candidate in the search for safer, more effective treatments against pancreatic cancer, offering potential to improve outcomes for patients currently facing limited options.